EN
By now, it has been well-established that there are several shady ecommerce companies, mainly originating from China, that operate elaborate networks of websites created with the sole intention of scamming customers. We have covered some of the major networks that show signs of being scams, including the Uniqueness Network and ChicV Ltd.
The modus operandi involves setting up hundreds of ecommerce stores simultaneously which claim to sell products at unbelievably low prices compared to competitors. These sites always look identical, deceptively advertise on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok, and send customers inferior products instead of what was advertised. Sometimes, customers receive nothing at all.
An important point to note is that these websites often attempt to mask their Chinese origin by providing the details of shell incorporations registered in the UK. However, the domain registration data reveals that the websites are indeed operated from China.
Scamfighter Iain Pintsize recently got in touch with us to share data that he has compiled about another possible scam network. Three companies - Zheng Ling, Fang Yong & Luo Gang - seem to be behind a network of 339 seemingly-dubious online stores.
While I have previously written about individual websites that look like they belong in the same network, such as Wxcnyll and Bvcllecc, we shall now take a big-picture look at how these 339 websites are connected, how they operate and the experiences of their customers.
The most crucial aspect is to first firmly establish that there is indeed an organized effort to create and operate an entire network of websites. For that purpose, we pulled data about 339 websites from our Scamadviser Analyzer and found some astonishing facts:
The registrar for all 339 websites is ‘Shanghai Meicheng Technology Information Development Co., Ltd.’
The oldest domain name was registered in September 2020 and the newest domain name was registered in February 2021. Therefore, the websites are between a few days to five months old.
As we will see in the following section, most of these websites are identical and sell similar products. This begs the question - what is the need to set up a multitude of online stores to sell the same products? Perhaps, they expect some of these websites to be taken down due to complaints. The young age of the websites also suggests that there may be periodic purges of older sites with new ones taking their place.
When we take a look at the sites themselves, it once again strengthens the belief that they might have malicious intent behind them. Firstly, all the websites have been created using Shoplazza, which is a Chinese counterpart of Shopify. However, the websites themselves provide no indication of being China-based. As the companies advertise mainly in North America and Europe, this can be construed as deceptive.
The websites are of low-quality as they contain almost no content except for the product listings. Most of these websites don’t even have pages such as ‘About Us’ and ‘Terms & Conditions’ that provide information about the company and its policies. The few that do, provide no real information as the company name is simply mentioned as ‘Our Store’
The websites themselves are devoid of any branding, as the URLs are a random jumble of letters and many of the sites are simply called ‘STORE’. The entire network constitutes nonsensical names such as Ybbscefuucv, Dvfst and Rbmjucg, just to name a few. The list of websites is given in the ‘Appendix’ section at the end of the article.
The sites also use unconventional domain extensions such as .top, .site, .xyz and more. This shows that there is no attempt to rank well in search engines as sites using such domain extensions rarely show up in the top results. This ties in with the fact that the websites rely on advertisements to attract traffic. This reliance on paid rather than organic traffic is opposite to the behaviour of genuine ecommerce brands.
While all the sites have social media icons in the footer, none of them actually have any social media pages of their own.
However, as it is next to impossible for these websites to get visitors without advertising, the sites are advertised using proxy social media pages. These websites are usually created under the guise of ‘video game’ pages and have almost no likes. However, they spend generously on advertisements on these platforms.
Let’s take the example of the page ‘Ckufnxc’ that is running ads for kwompvcu.top. The page category is listed as ‘Video game’ and the cover image is of a video game released in 2015. The page has been created very recently and has just 5 likes.
Despite not representing any business, it is running 11 ads for a pocket milling machine across Facebook’s entire network which includes Instagram. The name of the website being advertised has been hidden using a link shortening service.
We can see the same modus operandi with another page called Mrjgip.club that is running 37 ads for a bean bag being sold on splusxfu.top
These are not isolated cases, as there are several pages created for this operation. There are 6 pages created using just the name ‘Ckufnxc’.
The websites themselves look unimpressive. Many of the sites are indistinguishable from each other and all of them have the same overall look.
The websites use various pop-ups and banners to instill a false sense of urgency and demand. As you can see in the screenshot below, the pop-up showing that another customer bought the same product that I was looking at is quite obviously fake.
Every product on these sites is heavily discounted, to the point where the prices are simply too good to be true. The listings themselves proclaim discounts as high as 91%, while the actual discount on the products are even higher at 98% to 99%.
The websites only accept PayPal and the accounts associated with them are of random companies.
The websites don’t have any contact details apart from an email ID. All the sites provide email addresses that follow the format service@[website name]. The websites provide no phone number or address; not even a return address.
The customer experiences of the websites are overwhelmingly negative. The websites have an average Trust Score of 3.45 out of 100 and an Average Review Score of 1.99 out of 5.
We found 80 reviews for 339 websites which are almost exclusively negative. We can presume that they have at least 800 to 1,600 unsatisfied customers, as statistics show that only 5% to 10% of consumers write reviews.
The reviews include complaints such as non-delivery, delayed delivery and wrong products being delivered. Some of the customers have also mentioned that customer service is terrible, as they were offered partial instead of full refunds despite the delivered items not being what they ordered. In order to obtain a full refund, the company demanded that the items be shipped back to China at the customer’s own cost. As the cost of shipping to China far exceeds the price of the item, many simply give up and accept their loss instead of escalating the dispute.
After taking all the above information into consideration, it is quite clear that consumers need to be vigilant and cautious while shopping from such kinds of online stores that appear low in quality, offer amazing prices and advertise heavily on social media. We are observing new websites being created daily by these companies as well as others.
The saving grace is that as these sites mainly use PayPal to accept payments, there is a good chance of reversing the transaction in case you have a bad experience. You can follow the steps given here to contact PayPal for a refund. It is possible to get a full refund without having to ship the items back if you cite that the product is not what you ordered and refuse to ship the items back as you didn't know it would be shipped from China.
Read our article on How to Recognize a Scam to know the signs that you can watch out for to avoid an unpleasant online shopping experience.
For more information on possible scam networks, read our reviews of other dodgy online clothing stores with connections to several other websites:
Follow our social media channels for news about the latest scams and tips to stay safe online. We also invite you to join the growing community of scam fighters on our Facebook Group.
List of websites registered by Zheng Ling, Fang Yong, Luo Gang & Fang Jincheng (548 websites - updated on 27-04-2021):
aanaccelew.xyz
adelicacy.top
adlfbamz.top
aeplhlp.top
agostoo.com
agufnhvr.top
ahilarious.top
aiewginf.top
aigqqwqime.top
aihrmcfs.top
ajlrfalfty.shop
aktcbrn.site
aljentertg.xyz
alktu.top
amqkqmgp.top
anubyqrb.top
aowzxketpwz.site
askyuvtu.top
atmosp.site
avexpq.top
aywin.top
azqjpokc.site
bahlgqiz.site
baqyiljr.site
bbnatmosph.xyz
bbutw.xyz
bcfnudw.top
bckyox.top
bdvbexty.top
beneat.top
bfmetropolitg.xyz
bgpchoz.top
bgsog.top
bixbfx.top
bjpinstructvtn.site
bkwrz.top
blxlwu.top
bmiz.store
boceemm.top
bqkociac.top
brrelaxationg.xyz
bsay.top
bsdce.top
bslcdi.top
buir.xyz
bvbll.top
bvcllecc.top
bvfot.store
bwxpazmarp.top
bxfbjde.top
bxiappeard.xyz
byerb.top
cahexvh.top
caldai.com
cblxmqbx.site
cbnxceq.top
cddxvtqznc.top
cdvmz.top
cejsvbk.top
certai.site
cetsy.top
cfndocumentnz.xyz
ckrwkvj.top
cljzgbum.shop
cloroxsale.top
compet.top
consis.site
crchrysanthemuq.xyz
crnylppa.top
csuku.xyz
ctud.store
cuvvih.xyz
cvsuw.top
cweyzca.top
cwftpacul.site
czag.store
dcwxi.top
ddpznplj.top
detdol.top
dexhd.top
dexmb.top
dfptwzeyzld.top
dgtheoreticae.xyz
dipzfc.top
divq.store
djymbczd.top
dlyxby.top
dnjkuxgu.top
dnsl.xyz
dnuvdwwqohrq.site
dovncc.xyz
dpgmokehb.site
drneighbourhooe.xyz
dshhjpq.top
dvfst.top
dwkwngn.top
dxkhus.top
dymni.top
ebtbojtt.top
eciqtwl.top
ecqobxmm.top
edlsi.top
eepj.top
egjfwkc.top
ehxrl.top
ehymm.top
eivhepeu.top
ejbdvkxzi.site
ejpqyty.top
ejrjx.top
emeqeil.top
enmplztv.top
enyyi.top
eplon.top
erdqqmyq.top
evbha.top
ewrvcpvv.top
ewxaab.top
exitn.site
exumcd.top
exzcpl.xyz
eyakxjtj.top
eyfvzxym.top
eyvvthp.top
ezwellbalancq.xyz
fantastics.top
fcbszqisbxrf.site
fczfrdo.top
fdvrlzht.top
fgosnl.top
fjvkmb.xyz
fklabo.xyz
flddfh.xyz
fmyrdnpy.top
fnkyzz.top
foyyt.top
fpwhgqynp.site
fqtkbaplje.site
ftvggx.top
fuxbas.top
fxztq.xyz
fyfrbby.top
fzfnmhqlwm.site
fzfxlx.top
gaixr.top
gbmzl.xyz
gbrnyu.top
gbxbxor.top
ggogymp.top
gjppqyg.top
gnncsolarm.site
godwyorc.top
gotzn.top
gpijzxte.top
gppvu.top
groevwps.top
grprmg.top
gsbrfki.top
gseqpm.top
gsihpyeu.top
gskrdd.top
gtrmygdi.top
gtwbz.xyz
guynu.top
gxdt.xyz
gxfgf.top
gxmhzze.top
gzpsts.top
hakptlbksn.shop
haprescriptioq.xyz
hcrvy.top
hdcbz.top
hgtbkaz.top
hhsvd.top
hhtxz.top
hilxy.xyz
hlyoenx.site
hmitxi.top
hmystjvx.top
hnohttae.site
hogwpq.top
hoqctcz.top
hpjpn.store
hqhsurroud.site
hqxlxke.top
hrdmc.top
hsppredictvtl.xyz
htypmfh.top
humx.top
hxzlucx.top
hyfpfd.top
hyfwdmhd.site
hyqqj.xyz
hyzmuwoc.top
hzevw.top
hzhim.top
ifseparationo.xyz
ifxax.top
ifxoaq.top
ighka.top
ikhgu.top
imlgj.top
inccompanionnj.site
ioihqd.top
iojhaz.top
ipnq.top
isproductiong.xyz
isrqbool.top
ityevjo.top
iuvqxbe.top
ivrmeg.top
iwebnjk.top
ixheg.top
ixnfto.top
ixomalxg.top
izqhm.top
jaowvcbfxt.site
jbuobjignsk.shop
jgqifqzw.top
jgufiycnil.site
jhirelativenr.xyz
jjhovercomevts.site
jjymmt.top
jlnpauc.top
jnystifk.top
joqeqzdn.top
jtiks.top
jttzox.top
juqualificatiob.xyz
justicen.site
juwpr.xyz
jxgzxcjj.top
jxrecommendvc.xyz
kabxvtc.top
kbtkq.top
kchz.store
kcrecognitiop.xyz
kfhu.store
kfjkgmy.top
khntnho.top
kjzqnyqz.top
kkhrzb.xyz
kmaaa.top
knbhrur.top
kobesale.xyz
kozau.xyz
kpqhheartilyk.xyz
kqchaxn.top
kqjwn.xyz
kswfp.top
kwayhai.top
kwompvcu.top
kycjnuq.top
kzqimports.xyz
labvqxrlvh.top
lbjbk.xyz
lceastronautnc.site
lcirai.top
lcirv.top
lckso.top
lcnepxu.top
ldyfv.top
lertqo.top
lfabud.top
lfjyycac.site
liklu.top
limrevolub.xyz
lininsale.top
llsnfkuajyri.site
lpncl.top
lpvujao.site
ltuwb.top
lukoverweighto.site
lvtjsvnm.top
lwkycp.top
lyigmi.top
lyylt.top
majtveqn.top
mcajjht.top
mcam.top
meqrhmk.top
metfrictionno.xyz
mgsemicirclei.xyz
mieyewitnessu.xyz
mjlqnhms.top
mjotath.top
mlidlgkf.top
mlmexpectz.xyz
mmlhj.top
mmqympjr.top
mmrdetermq.site
mmsy.store
mnzuzyb.site
mprtgvr.top
mrpccalmvts.site
mtpfl.top
muoifatenu.site
mvaqvklk.top
mveykpqz.top
mxxaxrsczz.top
nbkikrxqv.shop
nbytrfa.top
nfpwzqrl.site
nggcmn.top
ngrwf.top
niasdoa.top
nlpkdww.top
npbrdlye.site
nqdfb.top
nqigpwj.top
nqxrrqoc.top
nrogigwi.top
nsob.top
nsyear.top
ntnmsjul.top
nudz.top
nvljwprl.top
nvwkjhg.top
nyfuyjs.top
nzbujlphlo.site
nzgafcwit.site
nzwodtggvvmyf.top
obpwvnt.top
ocyrlawl.top
oewpovgv.top
ohrbkld.top
oiuhi.xyz
oljpc.top
ompv.store
omzmcmj.top
oolymurxwaks.shop
opymp.top
oqpn.top
osio.top
ouoaizaz.top
ouuthxe.site
ovpluul.top
owdjgau.top
owjproducernj.xyz
owmfnqcumh.top
oxoou.top
oydyqzvmq.top
oyfq.top
oznjz.top
pbgitvck.shop
pbketgvl.site
pbyngwi.top
pdzd.store
peaces.top
pfhay.top
pftxy.top
phleac.xyz
pigcvsif.top
pltxzoyt.top
pmbmvpd.top
pmluo.top
pnji.top
pnpzgnjj.top
pntipsrea.top
pollin.top
posld.top
prvefwc.site
puvzw.top
qamqc.top
qatcojix.top
qboakyjmz.site
qclwjizd.top
qggwaterfallnn.site
qicviceversaf.xyz
qlewwfcu.top
qluyobf.top
qmtksz.top
qnkrqk.top
qnxvumf.top
qobqc.top
qrceix.top
quexqfh.site
qujter.top
qulgnko.top
qupqg.top
qxgie.top
qxtylphz.top
qxznrzylvx.site
qzyjybks.top
raxbmta.top
rbmjucg.top
rbvojc.top
rcateenagernr.xyz
rceag.top
remuqnkh.top
revolu.top
rgcompetitore.xyz
rhbmwfe.top
rhmvrbbo.top
rigxk.top
rjdaneh.top
rmggykbv.top
rpmrqoel.top
rsfdiwrb.site
rsvno.top
rumorkmn.site
ryfconstiv.site
rylbwex.top
rzjproducb.xyz
rzmrespectvti.xyz
scimsg.top
scrsdivernf.site
sfcsouthea.site
sgunconditionn.xyz
shrmm.top
sice.store
skateb.site
skhsmcyxsbeo.site
skiswamr.top
skususpeny.xyz
spjjp.top
sslatscc.top
sthweswh.top
stwiasja.top
submitvi.site
svseznhz.top
swearns.top
syvyeg.top
szhprotectivei.site
tbmathematiciat.xyz
tbtrgcw.top
tdbnfu.top
tduunderwearnp.site
tdwhay.top
tfalongsideprj.xyz
tfnowkv.top
tfxutfru.top
tgjwi.xyz
thsow.top
thzswigq.top
tjkrsdpf.top
tlmtq.xyz
tnyrt.top
tpwjqmrw.top
trgsgqi.top
ttpdoj.xyz
tuhrykir.top
tvmak.top
twrecwilpooa.site
tybnri.top
tzgccos.top
ubcirculatevz.xyz
uciadqud.top
uhhnk.top
uivfcwkc.top
ujbporridgenz.top
ukthnrrh.top
uktpvaev.top
ukudydjz.site
unddn.top
uqrevolutionae.xyz
uscyyhv.site
usexg.xyz
utcpmg.top
uwsqeatg.top
uxcrco.top
uxyqohfk.top
uzcqu.top
uzoat.xyz
veozi.site
vfxdok.top
vgcpxicwtz.top
vgepa.top
vhdre.top
vldheyhw.top
vleh.top
vlgryc.top
vlmog.top
vncqbj.top
vqqjhes.top
vrjapr.top
vtskieyedw.site
vuumeasureviv.xyz
vvhog.top
vxqxxv.top
waluhyk.top
wamcas.top
wbkok.top
wbpapqmp.top
wcewzqed.top
wcfyeqxp.top
wcjlqrdvmd.site
wevnn.top
wflp.xyz
wlfefwo.top
wmez.top
wnakizv.top
wnerhtp.top
woevg.top
wovydvij.top
wqkx.store
wrzacknowh.site
wtflb.top
wyhxuzi.site
wytcvod.top
wzibyirylwxz.site
wzjctams.top
xaamqpi.top
xbjbzo.top
xctinspirevtg.xyz
xetzu.top
xhkrd.top
xhpxshu.top
xihox.top
xjmicrophoney.xyz
xlmwa.xyz
xqkkzc.top
xsarqy.top
xwniigjxxj.shop
xwxnwbr.top
xxznd.top
xzhudesignnr.xyz
yabackgroundl.xyz
ybbscefuucv.site
yeduwmvy.top
yhautobiographz.xyz
yhwwz.top
yjral.top
yocdlp.top
yrir.store
yuqmisleadingi.site
yvikl.top
yximprisonmeno.xyz
yxlmknky.site
yxmyh.top
yzphydrogennf.xyz
zchwqv.top
zdctb.top
zerli.top
zifundamentau.xyz
zipyoa.top
zkgupqbz.site
zmbutactnn.site
zmzjpydd.top
zonsulq.top
zoyos.top
zrdzlkry.top
zserslicenx.site
zudthzlqxk.site
zvtjdc.top
zxuybqes.site
zzintelligenci.xyz
zzkmbqhy.top
This article has been written by a scam fighter volunteer. If you believe the article above contains inaccuracies or is missing relevant information, please contact Scamadviser.com using this form.
